We on the other side of the Charles have a saying "if you can't get there on the [MBTA] Green Line, it's not worth going to." But then, East Cambrdge is accessible, but note the Kendall Square tech area.

@C.VanDorne: I poked my head into the old Gibson plant a couple years ago (I am a fingerpicking folkie).

It's mainly an empty shell with the Hertiage shop occupying a small part of it. I'm not enpugh of an afficianado of guitars (though I love my Taylor) to compare Heritage and Gibson except to say it looks like there's not as much energy around the old place as there once was.

As far as I know Heritage is still in business at the old Parsons Street factory that Gibson used to run. I don't know if they use the entire facility or just part of it since they are a small operation. I know they used to build acoustics and electrics but at some point I think they dropped the acoustics. They don't adverstise much, preferring word-of-mouth. While I have an old Kalamazoo Gibson Les Paul Signature semi-hollow body, I don't have any exposure to Heritage. I've read they are pretty good though.

In San Francisco Bay Area, tech sector is being blamed for pricing most non-tech workers and lower income people out of the housing -- and even the apartment rental -- market. Kalamazoo sounds enticing just for that reason...cheaper real estate. But again, there is that polar vortex issue and hot summers, etc.